Elevator call registration system

ABSTRACT

In an elevator call registration system, elevator-related information is constantly transmitted from an elevator call registration server, and a call registration reservation for a desired elevator can be made by selecting contents from the information. Therefore, it is not necessary for the user to access a site where necessary contents are stored, enabling an easy call registration reservation. Further, since the call registration detects that the user is approaching the reserved elevator, the car is positioned at a good time and the user can smoothly go to a desired floor.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an elevator call registration systemwith which a user can perform an elevator call registration from insideand outside of a building by using a portable terminal or the like.

BACKGROUND ART

As described in JP 2002-117173 A, a conventional elevator callregistration system includes: a plurality of mobile communication meansprovided in a building, for exchanging signals with a portableinformation terminal carried by a user; position information managementmeans for managing position information of the portable informationterminal by collecting information from the plurality of mobilecommunication means; elevator control means for transmitting a callregistration control signal to an elevator control device; and guideinformation management means for transmitting, when being accessed fromthe portable information terminal, inside-building guide menuinformation for selecting various services to the portable informationterminal, for transmitting, when an inside-building destination guideservice is selected, destination menu information for selecting adestination in the building to the portable information terminal, andfor transmitting, when a destination is selected, guide informationincluding the selected destination and a current position of the userbased on the transmitted destination information and positioninformation of the portable information terminal to the portableinformation terminal.

However, to perform an elevator call registration, the user accesses theguide information management means by using the portable informationterminal and then performs a call registration with the use of relatedinside-building guide menu, so there is a problem in that the user hasto voluntarily access thereto.

Further, since the user has to search the inside-building guide menuinformation structured in hierarchy from which various services are tobe selected, for necessary contents, there is a problem of a complicatedprocedure to reach the call registration.

Furthermore, there is a problem in that not many people dare to access aparticular content to perform a call registration for an elevator in aparticular building, so the system is used by only limited people.

An object of the present invention is to provide an elevator callregistration system with which when performing an elevator callregistration or reservation for the registration, the user can performthe call registration or reservation for the registration for anelevator in a desired building by selecting contents based oninformation transmitted to a portable terminal.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided an elevator callregistration system including: a portable terminal carried by a user; aplurality of base stations that exchange signals with the portableterminal in communication areas; an elevator call registration serverthat manages an elevator call registration performed via the basestation by the user, who carries the portable terminal; and an elevatorcontrol device that performs an elevator call registration based on aninstruction from the elevator call registration server, in which: theportable terminal transmits call registration information to the basestation based on a various-service guide menu constantly transmittedfrom the elevator call registration server, and periodically transmitsits own portable terminal identification information to the basestation; the base station transmits additional registration informationin which own base station identification information is added to thereceived call registration information, to the elevator callregistration server, and transmits portable-terminal positioninformation in which the own base station identification information isadded to the received portable terminal identification information, tothe elevator call registration server; and the elevator callregistration server includes various-service control means forconstantly transmitting the various-service guide menu to the portableterminal and call registration management means for identifying acorresponding elevator based on the additional registration informationtransmitted from the portable terminal via the base station, storing, asreservation registration information, base station identificationinformation of the base station that is provided in a communication areain which a building having the identified elevator installed therein islocated and the portable terminal identification information of theportable terminal, determining whether or not the portable terminal isin the communication area in which the building having the identifiedelevator installed therein is located from the portable-terminalposition information concerning the portable terminal and thereservation registration information, and instructing, when the portableterminal is in the communication area, the elevator control device thatthe user is approaching as well as transmitting elevator call data.

An effect of the elevator call registration system of the presentinvention is that elevator-related information is constantly transmittedfrom the elevator call registration server, and a call registrationreservation for a desired elevator can be made by selecting contentsfrom the information, so it is unnecessary for the user side to access asite in which necessary contents are stored, enabling easy reservationfor the call registration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an elevator call registration systemaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a portable terminal according tothe first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a communication frame ofregistration information transmitted from the portable terminal to abase station.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the base station according tothe first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of an elevator call registrationserver according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows a data structure of reservation registration informationstored in the elevator call registration server of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of an elevator control deviceaccording to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 shows a data structure of call registration information stored inthe elevator control device of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a procedure of making a reservation for theelevator call registration.

FIG. 10 shows a display example of a display screen of the portableterminal.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a procedure for a user who has reserved forthe call registration to use the elevator.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an elevator call registration systemaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention.

The elevator call registration system includes an elevator 2 provided ina building 1 for lifting and lowering passengers, an elevator controldevice 3 for controlling the elevator 2, an elevator call registrationserver 5 provided in a management center 4 which includes the elevatorcontrol device 3 in its management area, base stations 7 a and 7 b forexchanging information between a user 6 who uses the elevator 2 and theelevator call registration server 5, and a portable terminal 8 carriedby the user 6. The base stations 7 a and 7 b, the elevator callregistration server 5, and the elevator control device 3 are connectedto one another through a communication line 9 such as the Internet.

The base stations 7 a and 7 b are located in areas (hereinafter,referred to as communication areas) 10 a and 10 b, respectively, wherethey can communicate with the portable terminal 8. Although the twocommunication areas, the area A 10 a and the area B 10 b, are taken asan example in the following description, the number of the communicationareas is not limited to two. It is assumed that the user 6 is in thearea A 10 a, and the building 1 that the user 6 is going to enter is inthe area B 10 b.

An elevator driving device 11 is connected to the elevator 2, and theelevator control device 3 controls the elevator driving device 11 tomove a car 12 up and down in an elevator shaft. When a call input isinput from a call button provided in a hall or the like (not shown), acall registration is performed and the elevator control device 3 guidesthe car 12 to the hall where the call is made to provide a service.

Next, functions of the portable terminal 8 will be described. FIG. 2 isa functional block diagram of the portable terminal 8.

The portable terminal 8, which is carried by the user 6, includes awireless reception unit 21 for receiving area-basis building informationrelating to the elevator call registration, serving as various-serviceguide menu, and transmitted from the base station (7 a, 7 b), and adisplay unit 22 for displaying the received area-basis buildinginformation. Further, the portable terminal 8 includes an input unit 23with which the user selects contents such as a bank, a machine number,and a floor, while viewing the displayed area-basis buildinginformation, a registration data processing unit 24 for creatingregistration information based on the selected contents, and a wirelesstransmission unit 25 for transmitting the registration information tothe elevator call registration server 5 through the base station (7 a, 7b). Further, the wireless transmission unit 25 of the portable terminal8 periodically transmits a portable terminal ID serving asidentification information assigned to itself to the elevator callregistration server 5 through the base station (7 a, 7 b).

FIG. 3 shows a communication frame of registration informationtransmitted from the wireless transmission unit 25 to the base station(7 a, 7 b). The communication frame of the registration information iscomposed of slots of: a header, a portable terminal ID assigned toitself, the number of a base station in the communication area where aselected building exists, a selected-building number, the numbers ofselected contents such as a bank, a machine number, and a floor, and thepresence or absence of registration.

Note that an ordinary portable telephone can be also used as theportable terminal 8 by separately providing a wireless reception unitand a wireless transmission unit that satisfy a wirelesstransmission/reception standard of the elevator call registration systemof the present invention. In addition, a portable personal computerprovided with a wireless communication function can be used as theportable terminal 8 as well.

Next, functions of the base stations 7 a and 7 b will be described withreference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the basestations 7 a and 7 b.

Each of the base stations 7 a and 7 b includes a reception unit 31 forreceiving area-basis building information serving as various-serviceguide menu, or the like transmitted from the elevator call registrationserver 5, a wireless transmission unit 32 for radio-transmitting thereceived area-basis building information or the like to the portableterminal 8 carried by the user in its area, a wireless reception unit 33for radio-receiving registration information radio-transmitted from theportable terminal 8, an output unit 34 for outputting additionalregistration information in which a base station number serving as itsown identification information is added to the radio-receivedregistration information, and a storage unit 35 in which its own basestation number is stored.

The wireless reception unit 33 receives the portable terminal IDperiodically radio-transmitted from the portable terminal 8, and theoutput unit 34 adds its own base station number to the portable terminalID and transmits them as portable-terminal position information to theelevator call registration server 5.

Next, functions of the elevator call registration server 5 will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a functional block diagramof the elevator call registration server 5.

The elevator call registration server 5 has a various-service controlmeans 41 for updating and storing elevator-related information such astenant advertisements and events which are stratified by base stations,buildings, floors, and shops, and a call registration management means42 for managing elevator call registrations performed between theportable terminal 8 and the elevator control device 3.

The various-service control means 41 includes a related-informationprocessing unit 43 for regularly or irregularly updatingelevator-related information such as tenant advertisement contents andevent contents, and a service data storage unit 44 for storing theelevator-related information.

The call registration management means 42 includes a transmissioncontrol unit 46 for exchanging information between the base station (7a, 7 b) and the elevator control device 3, a storage unit 47 for storinginformation transmitted from the various-service control means 41 andthe base station (7 a, 7 b), and a data processing unit 48 for creatinginformation to be transmitted to the base station (7 a, 7 b) and theelevator control device 3 based on the received information.

The data processing unit 48 reads elevator-related information from thevarious-service control means 41, edits it to create area-basis buildinginformation for each base station, and transmits the area-basis buildinginformation to the base station (7 a, 7 b). The area-basis buildinginformation edited for the base station (7 a, 7 b) includes tenantadvertisements and event information about buildings located in pluralareas around the base station (7 a, 7 b).

Further, the data processing unit 48 outputs call data, such as a bank,a machine number, and a floor, and a portable terminal ID to acorresponding elevator control device 3 based on the additionalregistration information.

Further, the data processing unit 48 stores in the storage unit 47reservation registration information such as the number of a basestation which includes a corresponding building in its communicationarea, a corresponding-building number, and a portable terminal ID, basedon the additional registration information.

Further, the data processing unit 48 determines whether theportable-terminal position information transmitted from the base station(7 a, 7 b) matches reservation registration information stored in thestorage unit 47, and notifies, when they match, the elevator controldevice 3 of approaching information which indicates that a registereduser is located in a vicinity of the elevator.

FIG. 6 shows a data structure of the reservation registrationinformation stored in the storage unit 47 of the call registrationmanagement means 42. FIG. 6 shows the data structure of the reservationregistration information stored in the storage unit 47. A field storesthe portable terminal ID of the portable terminal 8 carried by the userwho has reserved, and records store the number of a base station used ata time of the reservation, the number of a base station in thecommunication area where a building for which the reservation has beenmade exists, and a selected-building number, which correspond to eachportable terminal ID. These pieces of information are read from theadditional registration information and stored.

Next, functions of the elevator control device 3 will be described withreference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of theelevator control device 3.

The elevator control device 3 has an elevator control means 51 forperforming a call registration when the user operates the call button inthe hall (not shown), and a reception information management means 52for temporarily storing call data, such as a bank, a machine number, afloor, transmitted from the elevator call registration server 5 andgiving a call registration to the elevator control means 51 based on thestored call data upon reception of the approaching information from theelevator call registration server 5. The reception informationmanagement means 52 performs the call registration by determining afloor where the user gets on from the call data such as a bank, amachine number, and a floor.

The reception information management means 52 includes a callinformation storage unit 53 for storing portable terminal IDs and calldata transmitted from the elevator call registration server 5, and areception information management unit 54 for storing in the callinformation storage unit 53 the portable terminal IDs and the call datatransmitted from the elevator call registration server 5, and giving acall registration to the elevator control means 51 upon reception of theapproaching information from the elevator call registration server 5.

FIG. 8 shows a data structure of the call registration informationstored in the call information storage unit 53. FIG. 8 shows the datastructure of the stored call registration information. Fields storeportable terminal IDs used for reservations, and records store banks,machine numbers, and floors, serving as call data, corresponding to theportable terminal IDs.

Next, a procedure of making a reservation for an elevator callregistration will be described with reference to FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is adiagram showing the procedure of making a reservation for the elevatorcall registration.

Normally, the various-service control means 41 regularly or irregularlyupdates the elevator-related information such as tenant advertisementsand events on the building 1 controlled by the elevator callregistration server 5, and stores the elevator-related information inthe service data storage unit 44. Thus, latest elevator-relatedinformation is stored in the service data storage unit 44.

Next, the call registration management means 42 regularly reads theelevator-related information from the service data storage unit 44,edits it to create area-basis building information, and transmits thearea-basis building information to the base station (7 a, 7 b).

The base station (7 a, 7 b) radio-transmits the area-basis buildinginformation to the communication area (10 a, 10 b).

The portable terminal 8 receives the area-basis building information anddisplays contents of the area-basis building information on its displayscreen. FIG. 10(a) shows an example of the display screen displaying thecontents. This example shows that in a building A, a 10%-off sale is nowtaking place on the fifth floor and a ** exhibition is taking place onthe eleventh floor. When the user selects a desired content from thedisplay screen, a registration screen is displayed. FIG. 10(b) shows anexample of the registration screen. In this example, the user canperform registration by selecting “register”. Upon the registration,there is created registration information including the building numberof the selected building (hereinafter, referred to as aselected-building number), the number of a base station including theselected building in its communication area (hereinafter, referred to asa selected-base-station number), call data (such as a bank, a machinenumber, and a floor) for the selected building, and its own portableterminal ID. Then, the registration information is radio-transmitted tothe base station (7 a, 7 b).

The base station (7 a, 7 b) adds its own base station number to thereceived registration information to create additional registrationinformation and transmits the additional registration information to theelevator call registration server 5.

The transmission control unit 46 of the elevator call registrationserver 5 receives the additional registration information and outputsthe additional registration information to the data processing unit 48.The data processing unit 48 identifies a corresponding building based onthe additional registration information. Then, the data processing unit48 transmits to the elevator control device 3 of the identified buildingthe call data (the bank, the machine number, and the floor) and theportable terminal ID of the portable terminal used for the registration,as call registration information. At the same time, the data processingunit 48 stores in the storage unit 47 the portable terminal ID, thereceiving base station number indicating the current position, theselected-base-station number, and the selected-building number, asreservation registration information.

The reception information management means 52 of the identified building1 stores in the call information storage unit 53 the call registrationinformation transmitted from the elevator call registration server 5.

Next, a procedure for the user who has reserved for the callregistration to use an elevator will be described with reference to FIG.11. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the procedure for the user who hasreserved for the call registration to use the elevator.

The portable terminal 8 constantly transmits its own portable terminalID after the call registration reservation.

The base station (7 a, 7 b) transmits to the elevator call registrationserver 5 portable-terminal position information in which the receivedthe portable terminal ID and its own base station number have beencombined.

The call registration management means 42 receives the portable-terminalposition information. At the same time, the call registration managementmeans 42 reads the reservation registration information from the storageunit 47 and determines whether or not both pieces of information areidentical. When they are determined to be identical, the callregistration management means 42 transmits approaching informationindicating that the user is in a vicinity of the building 1 to thereception information management means 52.

Upon reception of the notification of the user being in the vicinity ofthe building 1, the reception information management means 52 reads fromthe call information storage unit 53 call data based on the portableterminal ID of the user, and requests the elevator control means 51 toperform a call registration based on the call data. According to therequest of the call registration, the elevator control means 51 controlsthe elevator driving device 11 to make the car 12 of the elevator 2 tomove to the floor for which the call registration has been performed.

In the elevator call registration system described above, theelevator-related information is constantly transmitted from the elevatorcall registration server, and a call registration reservation for adesired elevator can be made by selecting contents from the information.Therefore, it is not necessary for the user side to access a site wherenecessary contents are stored, enabling an easy call registrationreservation.

Further, since a call registration is performed by detecting that theuser is approaching the reserved elevator, the car is arranged at a goodtiming and the user can smoothly go to a desired floor.

Further, different area-basis building information is distributed fromthe base stations, so the user can use more-related information.

Furthermore, each user can obtain information in real time so that theuser can efficiently go around destinations.

Note that, in the first embodiment, although the call registrationreservation is performed by selecting a building in a communication areadifferent from that in which a base station the user communicates withis located, when the call registration is performed for an elevator of abuilding in the communication area in which the base station the usercommunicates with is located, the call registration information istransmitted to the elevator control device together with the approachinginformation and the call registration can be performed similarly to thecase of using a hall call button. Thus, an elevator can be calledwithout operating the hall call button so that the remote callregistration is possible.

In the first embodiment, there has been described that when theregistration information is transmitted from the portable terminal tothe call registration management means, the call data has beentransmitted to the elevator control device in advance. However, the callregistration may be performed by transmitting the call data togetherwith the approaching information to the elevator control device when theuser approaches an elevator to use.

Second Embodiment

An elevator call registration system according to a second embodiment ofthe present invention is different from that of the first embodiment inthat a base station is provided in each building, but is similar to inthe other points. A description of the similar points is omitted.

In the elevator call registration system according to the secondembodiment, since the base station is provided in the building and theelevator control device performs an elevator call registration when theuser approaches a target elevator, unnecessary call registrations can bereduced. The user can efficiently go to a desired place without reducingefficiency in elevator operations.

1. An elevator call registration system comprising: a portable terminalcarried by a user; a plurality of base stations that exchanges signalswith the portable terminal in respective communication areas; anelevator call registration server that manages an elevator callregistration requested via the base station by the user who carries theportable terminal; and an elevator control device that registers anelevator call registration based on an instruction from the elevatorcall registration server, wherein the portable terminal transmitsregistration information to one of the base stations based on avarious-service guide menu constantly transmitted from the elevator callregistration server, and periodically transmits its own portableterminal identification information to the base station, each basestation comprises a wireless transmission unit that transmits thevarious-service guide menu to the portable terminal, and an output unitthat transmits additional registration information, in which own basestation identification information is added to the registrationinformation received, to the elevator call registration server andoutputs portable-terminal position information, in which the own basestation identification information is added to the portable terminalidentification information received, to the elevator call registrationserver, and the elevator call registration server constantly transmitsthe various-service guide menu to the portable terminal, identifies acorresponding elevator based on the registration information added andtransmitted from the portable terminal via the base station, stores, asreservation registration information, base station identificationinformation of the base station that is provided in a communication areain which a building, having installed therein the elevator identified,is located, and the portable terminal identification information of theportable terminal, determines, from the portable-terminal positioninformation concerning the portable terminal and the reservationregistration information, whether the portable terminal is in thecommunication area in which the building is located, and instructs, whenthe portable terminal is in the communication area, the elevator controldevice that the user is approaching and transmits elevator call data. 2.The elevator call registration system according to claim 1, wherein thebase station is located in the building.
 3. The elevator callregistration system according to claim 1, wherein the various-serviceguide menu transmitted from each of the base stations is different.